Wheel puller



Sept 5, 1939 G. E. laLAcKw'ooD- JR 2,171,910

WHEEL FULLER Filed Dec. 14, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Sept. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WHEEL FULLER Application December 14, 1937, Serial No. 179,698

7 Claims.

My invention relates to tools and particularly to pullers for dismounting wheels from their shafts.

Among the objects of my invention is the provision of a new and improved Wheel puller for pulling wheels of a variety of styles from the ends of shafts upon which they are mounted.

Another object is the provision of a new and improved wheel puller which is adapted to be clamped to the wheel prior to the pulling operation and which continues to remain in clamped position.

Another object is the provision of a new and improved wheel puller which is adjustable in a manner permitting it to be clamped to wheels having spokes spaced at either or 180 intervals or fractions thereof in order that a true axial pull may be exerted upon the Wheel to remove it from the shaft.

Still another object is to provide a puller for wheels having oppositely disposed spokes, which is provided with a means for mounting the puller upon the Wheel in a non-tiltable position, regardless of the directional disposition of the shaft, so that the puller remains in true alinement throughout the entire pulling operation.

A further object is to provide a wheel puller equipped with hook members of a new and improved design adapted to be drawn into engagement with the spokes of a wheel, and so formed that the area of contact between the members is large regardless of what the particular cross sectional coniiguration of the spokes may be, in order to minimize undue strain, said hooks being formed likewise in such a shape and cross section that they may be attached to spokes separated from adjacent spokes by a minimum amount of space.

A still further object is the provision of a puller for wheels of different styles in which the spokes are variously shaped and arranged, said puller being adapted, when engaging the spokes, to contact a considerable portion of the surface and to be clamped thereto by means operable at all times independently of the force applied to remove the wheel from the shaft.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal elevation of my device attached to a wheel and shown partly in section.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal elevation at right angles to Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is an end view of the device positioned on a wheel.

Figs. 4 and 5 are side and end views, respectively, of one of the hook members.

Fig. 6 is a small scale end view of a wheel showing the hook members, partly in section, attached 5 at three balanced points of contact.

Fig. 7 is a View taken on the line 'l-l of Fig. 6 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the device with three hook members in place.

While I have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specic'form disclosed, but aim to cover all 15. modications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the embodiment chosen to illustrate the principles of my invention, the device is shown 20 attached to pulley wheels of a type customarily used on refrigeration compressors. In one instance the puller is shown attachedto a wheel having conventional spokes and in another instance to a wheel having spokes in the shape of 25 fan blades. Due to the compactness with which refrigeration compressor equipment is designed, the pulleys and the shafts upon whichthey are mounted are frequently located in more orless inconvenient or inaccessible places, making the 30 pulling job a diicult one. Y

An additional difficulty in providing a pulley or Wheel puller generally adapted to all of the circumstances which might arise is the tendency for different manufacturers to make wheels in 35 diiierent patterns and styles as, for example, some with spokes at intervals or fractions thereof, and others with spokes at 120 intervals or fractions thereof. Furthermore, and particularly when the spokes take the shape of fan 40 blades, they are quite apt to be positioned close together leaving only a narrow wedge shaped space between contiguous blades so narrow at times that the adjacent edges overlie each other near the hub.

In supplying a puller suitable for operation under any and all such circumstances, resort has been had to a novel construction and arrangement of hook members for grasping the spokes 50 near the hub and in addition a clamping arrangement cooperable with the hook members for securing thepuller to the wheel in such a manner that during, all stages oi removal the pull will be in a true axial direction.

The puller has a body formed with a radially extending flange or lifting portion to which the plurality of hook members are pivotally secured for grasping the spokes of a wheel. Forming part of the body is a longitudinally extending, axial portion to which is attached a threaded sleeve extendable into contact with the hub of the wheel. A thrust screw is located at the center of the device designed to be forced against the shaft upon which the wheel is mounted to remove it there--V from. i

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show the invention attached to a spoked pulley wheel I mounted upon a shaft 2 by means of a hub 4 from which spokes 3 radiate outwardly at right angles from each other and terminate in a rim 5. The spokes here shown have the more or less conventional oval cross section and emanate from a hub having two flat surfaces, one at the outer face and one at the inner face of the wheel.

The wheelorpulley puller consists basically of the body previously referred to, indicated generallypby the numeral I in the drawings, having two principal parts, namely, the radially extending lifting portion embodied in a flange II, and the longitudinallyextending, axial portion designated by the numeral I2. The flange II is constructed substantially circular in cross section and has a group of three iiat areas I3 circumferentially disposed Yabout the perimeter with the centers spaced equidistant one from the other at angles of 120, and an additional flat I4 spaced an angular distance of 180 from one of the rst identified areas. .Y

In the operative set-up shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a pair of hook members I are located at the iiat areas I3 and I4, respectively, where they are swivelly secured by pivot supports comprising the studs I5 and I1 threaded into apertures 13 and 14' extending inwardly from theV respective flat areas. ByV being pivotally` mounted the hook members are permitted to.swing freely through any arc. The same hook members also are interchangeable from one flat area to another so that a three-way or two-way grip may be had as desired, and are furthermore reversible in order that the hook members may be so mounted as to be applied to the wheel from whichever direction offers the most convenient access, or so as to permit the best possible contact between the hook members and the spokes. The axes upon which the hook members swing intersect at a common center point and radiate outwardly equidistant one from the Vother ina directionrperp'endicular to the direction of a central axis through the body.

` Each hook member isbuilt with a grasping portion at the free end thereof comprising a positive hook or finger I8 of ample length provided with an angular recess I9 formed by the surfaces 20 and 20 for surrounding and graspingla spoke, there being provided also a lip 2| at the tip of the hook high enough to keep the spoke from slipping out of the recess. The hook has ample width, as best seen in Fig. 5, so that a large contact area with the spoke is assured. A shank or connecting portion 22 is proportionately smaller and somewhat trapezoidal in cross section and connects the hook I8 with a supporting end 23 provided with a hole 24 for attaching it to the body. The shank furthermore takes the form of a curve whose convex side 25 distends in the same direction generally as .the end of the hook supporting the lip 2l. A design of this sort will al- V. ways assure a considerable length of the shank lying along the line of force as the hook member the sleeve.

is swung back and forth to engage spokes of different cross sectional area.

Forming part of the clamping means is a sleeve member 30 threaded on the inside to correspond with outer threads provided on the axial portion I2. The threaded engagement will be observed to permit extending the sleeve adjustably outwardly from or inwardly toward the body merely by grasping and rotating it manually. At the v lower end of the sleeve a circular rim 3| is provided, larger in diameter than the largest shaft which would be anticipated, so that the rim of the sleeve when extended will comfortably surround the shaft and seat upon the hub of the wheel. The sleeve has a length such that, when extended, the rim 3I is almost flush with the hook I8, while leaving a substantial section encircling the axial portion I2 of the body to maintain a rigid support.v rIvhe sleeve is likewise short enough so that it can be withdrawn to a position against the flange II leaving ample space between the rim and the hooks to permit them to be swung freely into position around the spokes of a wheel.

A thrust member embodied in a screw 35 lies on the central axis and is threaded through the center of the bodyV at the upper portion, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, and extends freely through a cylindrical space in the axial portion of the body and The screw may be provided with a point 36 at one end for centering it in the shaft of the wheel to be pulled andv a square head 31 at the other end to be grasped by a wrench.

Fig. 6 shows another style of pulley wheel I',

adapted to be pulled by the applicants device,

provided with spokes 3' constructed in the shape of fan blades. The fan blade spokes number six in all, are centered about the hub 4', and terminate in a rim 5'. A shaft 2' supports the wheel. In this instance the spokes are spaced at intervals of 60 one from another so that in order to pull a wheel of this design three of the hook members I5 are required. The hook members are in this instance swivelly mounted at the three flats I3 of the flange lI, no hook member being attachedrat the flat I4. By the use of three hook members every alternate spoke can be grasped so that the pull is'evenly distributed on all sides.

Moreover, when the spokes have a somewhat curved cross section, such asthe fan blade shown in Fig. '7, the angular recess I9 of the hook provides a secure grip and the ample length of the grasping portion permits the entire blade 3' to be received therein.

When the spokes, or fan blades such as 3', are positioned close together so that the wedge shaped space between them is extremely narrow adjacent the points of engagement with the hooks, the detachable feature of the hook members becomes of considerable importance. When it is not possible to swing the hooks into place they can be removed, inserted under the spokes at the wider part of the wedge shaped space, andV then shifted radially inwardlyr to be reattached to the body. The wide hook portions at the end will then extend diagonally outwardly under the spokes and the somewhat narrower Shanks will be sufficiently small to permit them to extend endwise between the close-set spokes.

Inoperation, the hook members, two or three in number depending upon the number of spokes in the wheel, are swung into place around the spokesY adjacent the hub of the wheel. Next the sleeve 30 is extended from the bodi7 into contact with the hub and there tightened in place by hand so that the puller is clamped -in erected position upon the wheel, as shown for example in Fig. 3. The wheel puller will then be rigidly attached in balanced position upon the wheel preparatory to the final pulling operation. With the puller thus in proper alinement, the mechanic by use of a wrench rotates the screw 35 until the point 30 centers in the shaft and pushes against it, thereby extending the body l0 and the flange Il, comprising the lifting portion of the body, endwise from the shaft to extract the wheel therefrom.

It is to be noted that the pull is perfectly balanced on all sides of the wheel and that the device is prohibited by action of the sleeve 39 from tilting during any part of the operation. Furthermore, even when the wheel is comparatively loose upon the shaft, there is no premature dislodgement of the puller, a common fault in devices of this sort heretofore used. In pullers of ordinary design, a shift in the position with resp-ect to the wheel is apt to cause binding by tilting the wheel slightly upon the shaft before the nal withdrawal. A frequent result in such an event is a scoring or denting of the shaft aperture in the hub, or of the shaft itself, if indeed the puller is not dislodged fro-m the wheel entirely. The permanent grasp of the applicants puller upon the wheel prevents accidents and permits the mechanic to comfortably lift the wheel from the shaft after it has been completely and entirely freed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A puller for a wheel comprising a body, a plurality of members swingably supported on the body having wheel grasping portions of xed and equal length for engaging parts of the wheel on one lateral face thereof at points of Contact equidistant one from the other, a threaded axial portion on the body and a sleeve threaded upon said portion forming a single central extension means adapted to be extended into contact with the hub of the wheel on a face opposite from and centrally with respect to the points of contact of the swingably supported means for erecting the puller upon the wheel, and means threadably engaging said body and operable independently of said sleeve extendable through said axial portion and said sleeve into contact with the shaft upon which said wheel is mounted and adapted to be forced against the shaft in order to remove the wheel and attached puller therefrom.

2. A wheel p-uller for removing from their respective shafts wheels having spokes at spaced intervals of and 180 and fractions thereof respectively comprising a body having supports circiunferentially disposed at 120 intervals about a central axis and another support spaced at from one of the said first named supports, a plurality of removable hook members adapted to be pivotally mounted in balanced order on said supports upon axes having fixed positions intersecting at said central axis for grasping the spokes of a wheel to be pulled, means for clamping said hook members to the spokes, and a thrust member extending through said body adapted to be forced into engagement with the shaft of said wheel to remove the wheel and attached puller from the shaft.

3. A wheel puller for spoked wheels comprising a body having a longitudinally extending axial portion and a radially extending lifting portion, a pair of hook members each swivelly secured to the lifting portion upon a common axis positioned perpendicularly to the axial portion, said hook members being provided with lingers for grasping the spokes of the wheel, a sleeve member threadably engaged upon the axial portion of the body extendable centrally in an axial direction so that when the fingers are engaged around the spokes on one face of the wheel the sleeve can be forced centrally with respect to the points of engagement against the hub on a face opposite so as to erect the body by a single adjustment non-tiltably in position upon the wheel regardless of the axial disposition of the shaft upon which the wheel is mounted, and a thrust member on the body positioned independently of the sleeve member adapted to be forced into contact with the shaft in the same direction as said sleeve member to withdraw the wheel therefrom.

4. A wheel puller for removing from their respective shafts wheels having spokes of arbitrary cross section positioned so that there is present only narrow wedge shaped spaces therebetween comprising a body having a plurality of rigid supports arranged circumferentially about a central axis, a plurality of detachable hook members pivotally mounted on said supports on axes extending perpendicular to the direction of the central axis, each of said hook members including a wide flat grasping portion adapted to contact the spokes over a proportionately large area and a connecting portion of comparatively small cross sectional area for permitting detached hook members after the insertion in the wider parts of said wedge shaped spaces to be shifted radially toward the hub of the wheel there to be attached to said body, and means on the body forcibly extendable into contact with the shaft to remove the wheel therefrom.

5. A puller for wheels having spokes in the shape of fan blades positioned with portions of the alternate edges overlying each other comprising a body provided with a lifting portion having circumferentially disposed supporting elements integral therewith, a plurality of removable hook members having portions adapted to be pivotally mounted in balanced order on said supporting elements on radially disposed axes, each of said hook members including a wide hookshaped grasping portion adapted to engage a single blade over a proportiontely large area and having a length in excess of the width of the blades adjacent the point of engagement so as to protrude obliquely outward between the overlying edges and a lip for engaging the opposite side of the blade to secure the hook thereto, said arrangement being adapted to permit the hook members after insertion individually between adjacent blades near the outer circumference of the wheel to be shifted radially inwardly toward the hub of the wheel there to be attached to said body, and means extendable through the body into contact with the shaft for forcibly removing the wheel therefrom.

6. A wheel puller for removing from their respective shafts wheels having spokes spaced at intervals of 120 and 180 and fractions thereof respectively comprising a body having supports circumferentially disposed at 120 intervals about a central axis and another support spaced at 180 from one of said rst named supports, a plurality of removable hook members adapted to be pivotally suspended in any balanced order on said supports upon axes intersecting at said central axis, said hook members being identical in form, reversible, and having each a flat hooked grasping portion adapted to engage one side of the spokes over a proportionately large area and having a length in excess of the spoke width so as to protrude obliquely outwardly between the spokes to permit the hook members to be shifted radially into positions close to the hub, an axial portion on said body lying between the suspended hook members and having threadably mounted thereon a sleeve extendable into clamping engagement With the hub to anchor the hook members to said Wheel, and a thrust member threadable axially through the body and the axial portion thereof adapted to be forced into engagement with the shaft of said Wheel to remove the Wheel therefrom.

7. A puller for a Wheel comprising a body, a plurality of members swingably supported on the body having Wheel grasping portions of fixed and equal length for engaging parts of the Wheel on one lateral face thereof at points of contact equidistant one from the other, a threaded axial portion on the body and a sleeve threaded upon said portion forming a single central extension means adapted to be extended into contact with the hub of the Wheel on a face opposite from and centrally with respect to the points of contact of the swingably supported means for erecting the puller upon the wheel and means for engaging said body and operable independently of said sleeve extendable into contact with the shaft upon which said Wheel is mounted and adapted to be forced against the shaft in order to remove the Wheel and attached puller therefrom.

GEORGE E. BLACKWOOD, J R. 

